Anna Neagoe's correspondence with Goff Le Serge, John Mayfield, Peter Neagoe, Lachlin Peck, Syracuse University, and others; correspondence, notes, and architectural plans concerning WPA murals painted by Anna Neagoe for the Lanchaster, New York, High School, 1935-1936; writings by Peter Neagoe and his diary; typescripts of 9 poems and 49 published and unpublished short stories by Anna Neagoe; and 250 photographs of Anna Neagoe, her family, friends, and works of art.
Biographical / Historical:
Painter; New York City. Her husband, Peter Neagoe, was a writer whose publications included WINNING A WIFE, THERE IS MY HEART and WHAT IS SURREALISM.
Provenance:
Donated 1980 by Anna Neagoe.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Occupation:
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
An interview of Rollin McNeil Crampton conducted 1965 January 29, by Joseph S. Trovato, for the Archives of American Art. Crampton speaks of his work as supervisor of the New York City WPA mural project; selecting muralists and mural sites; how the murals were executed; the effect of the Federal Art Project upon him and his career; his background and early interest in art; and his education at Yale and at the Art Students League. He recalls Burgoyne Diller.
Biographical / Historical:
Rollin McNeil Crampton (1886-1970) was an art administrator and painter in both Woodstock and New York, New York.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 22 min.
Provenance:
This interview conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts project, which includes over 400 interviews of artists, administrators, historians, and others involved with the federal government's art programs and the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930s and early 1940s.
Restrictions:
This interview is open for research. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Topic:
Mural painting and decoration -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Extent:
1 Sound tape reel (Sound recording, 5 in.)
5 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sound tape reels
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1965 Jan. 16
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Morris Kantor conducted 1965 Jan. 16, by Joseph Trovato, for the Archives of American Art. Kantor speaks of his beginnings at the Henri School; Rehn Galleries; his work and style; the Federal Art Project and WPA; and art shows.
Biographical / Historical:
Morris Kantor (1896-1974) was a painter from New York, N.Y. He was a supervisor of Federal Art Project Easel Painting Project in Rockland County, N.Y.
Provenance:
Conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts project, which includes over 400 interviews of artists, administrators, historians, and others involved with the federal government's art programs and the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930s and early 1940s.
Restrictions:
This interview is open for research. Contact Reference Services for more information.
An interview of Jack Tworkov conducted 1962 August 17, by Dorothy Seckler, for the Archives of American Art.
Tworkov speaks of the influence upon him of Karl Knaths and Ross Moffett; his early rebellion from the influence of French Impressionism; his friendships with Knaths and with Lee Gatch; his association with the Federal Art Project's easel painting project; experimenting with still life painting; and his affiliation with the Eight Street Club. He recalls Willem de Kooning and Franz Kline.
Biographical / Historical:
Jack Tworkov (1900-1982) was a painter in New York, N.Y.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Duration is 32 min.
Provenance:
This interview is part of the Archives' Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others.
The Federal Art Project, Photographic Division collection dates from circa 1920-1965, with the bulk of the records spanning the active years of the Federal Art Project (FAP), 1935-1942. The collection comprises 12.4 linear feet of mostly photographic prints and negatives that document primarily artwork produced by artists employed by the FAP. A smaller number of photographs also document other programs of the FAP, such as art classes and community centers, exhibitions by children and adults, artwork installed in public buildings, project divisions, and demonstrations of art processes by FAP artists.
Scope and Content Note:
The Federal Art Project (FAP), Photographic Division collection dates from circa 1920-1965, with the bulk of the records spanning the active years of the FAP: 1935-1942. The collection comprises 12.4 linear feet of photographic prints and negatives, including photos of FAP artists and the artwork created by them, and other activities of the FAP in communities throughout New York City and other states. Photographers include Andrew Herman, Sol Horn, David Robbins, Leo Seltzer, and others.
Artist files comprise three-quarters of the collection and consist primarily of photographs of artwork, as well as scattered photos of artists at work, including: Charles Alston, Luis Arenal, Richmond Barthe, John Benson, Andrew Berger, Lucille Blanch, Lucienne Bloch, Ilya Bolotowsky, Luise Brann, Selma Burke, Letterio Calapai, Eugene Chodorow, Francis Criss, Stuart Davis, Adolf Dehn, Virginia Dehn, Jose de Rivera, George Pearse Ennis, Philip Evergood, Eugenie Gershoy, Bertram Goodman, Arshile Gorky, Marion Greenwood, Philip Guston, Donal Hord, Joseph Hovell, William Karp, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Edward Laning, Julian Levi, Audrey McMahon, Elizabeth Olds, Anton Refregier, Will Shuster, William Zorach, and others.
The remainder of the collection consists of files documenting related activities and programs of the FAP, arranged by subject. The bulk of these files document the activities of the New York City FAP, including free art classes and art exhibitions for adults and children, exhibitions at the Harlem Art Center, and the work of FAP branches including the Easel Division, the Graphic Arts Division, and the Poster Division.
Other subjects documented include federal and community art centers in eleven states, most extensively Washington State; other WPA projects such as the Federal Theater Project, the Federal Music Project, and the Federal Writers' Project; buildings decorated with FAP artwork; art processes as demonstrated by FAP artists; special events; and people involved with the FAP, including director Holger Cahill.
One folder contains images that appear to have been taken by Berenice Abbott for the exhibition Changing New York (1935), for the Museum of the City of New York in collaboration with the WPA.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 2 series:
Missing Title
Series 1: Artist Files, circa 1920-1965 (Boxes 1-24; 9.6 linear feet)
Series 2: Subject Files, 1934-1956 (Boxes 25-32; 2.8 linear feet)
Historical Note:
The Federal Art Project (FAP) was one of the Depression-era work-relief programs of the Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA). The program was founded in August 1935 to provide employment for artists and to implement visual arts programs in local communities across the country.
Together with the Federal Music Project, the Federal Theater Project, and the Federal Writers' Project, the FAP formed part of the WPA's Federal Project No. 1. The WPA became the Work Projects Administration in 1939 when it fell under the administrative hand of the newly created Federal Works Agency; concurrently the Federal Art Project was officially re-named the Federal Art Program.
Under the direction of Holger Cahill, the goals of the FAP fell into three main areas: production of artwork, art education through art classes and community centers, and art research through the Index of American Design. During the course of the program, artists created murals and other works of art for many non-Federal government buildings such as schools, hospitals, and libraries. Separate photographic divisions were set up in several states, most notably in New York City, to document the work of artists employed by the program, activities in art education such as classes for children and adults, community center outreach programs, and other "Federal 1" projects, including the Federal Theater and Music Projects. Employees of the photographic division were also involved in other assignments, such as creating exhibitions and photo murals.
The Federal Art Project ended in 1943.
Related Material:
Among the holdings of the Archives of American Art are related collections, including the Federal Art Project of the Work Projects Administration records, 1935-1948. Additional FAP records are held by the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington D.C.
Provenance:
The collection was anonymously donated to the Archives of American Art in the late 1950s.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Extent:
21 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1964 December 9
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Gustave Von Groschwitz conducted 1964 December 9, by Richard K. Doud, for the Archives of American Art New Deal and the Arts Project.
Biographical / Historical:
Gustave Von Groschwitz (1906-1991) was an art administrator from New York, N.Y. Director, Graphic Arts Division, Federal Art Project, New York City.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 1 digital wav files. Duration is 1 hr., 3 min.
Provenance:
This interview conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts project, which includes over 400 interviews of artists, administrators, historians, and others involved with the federal government's art programs and the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930s and early 1940s.
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Extent:
13 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1964 Nov. 5
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Anton Refregier conducted 1964 Nov. 5, by Joseph Trovato, for the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project.
Refregier speaks of his involvement with the Federal Art Project (FAP); government support for the arts; the benefits of the program to the artist and the community; murals he painted for the WPA; and his family background and education.
Biographical / Historical:
Anton Refregier (1905-1979) was a painter in Woodstock, N.Y.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 1 digital wav files. Duration is 52 min.
Provenance:
This interview conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts project, which includes over 400 interviews of artists, administrators, historians, and others involved with the federal government's art programs and the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930s and early 1940s.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
Topic:
Mural painting and decoration -- New York (State) Search this
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Extent:
19 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1964 May 19
Scope and Contents:
An interview of James Penney conducted 1964 May 19, by Joseph S. Trovato, for the Archives of American Art.
Penney speaks of his experiences as a mural painter for the WPA Federal Art Project; painting murals for schools and hospitals; the administration of the FAP; his background and education; coming to New York City during the Depression; the influence of the Mexican and Italian muralists; and important collections which include his work.
Biographical / Historical:
James Penney (1910-1982) was a painter, mural painter, and educator in Clinton, N.Y.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 1 hr., 12 min.
Provenance:
This interview conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts project, which includes over 400 interviews of artists, administrators, historians, and others involved with the federal government's art programs and the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930s and early 1940s.
1.2 Linear feet ((partially microfilmed on 4 reels))
0.5 Linear feet (Addition)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1931-1948
Scope and Contents:
Records kept by Adams while Director of the New York State Museum in Albany, mainly relating to his efforts to build the museum's collections. Included are correspondence, notes, printed materials and photographs.
REELS 110-112: Included are files on: the WPA art program, American Artists Congress, and other political art organizations; the Edward Lamson Henry collection, including Elizabeth McCausland's galley sheets of her manuscript on Henry, photos of paintings, comments on her manuscript, and correspondence about other Henry paintings; the sons of John James Audubon, Victor and John Woodhouse; the acquisition of the Thomas Halliday Folk Art Collection, purchased for the Museum by Abby Aldrich Rockefeller; Berenice Abbott's photograph projects, including correspondence with Abbott; the formation of the American Art Research Council; war emergency plans; Anna Hyatt Huntington's gift of her sculpture to the museum, and letters from Lewis Hine, Ralph Pearson, Harry Stone, Albert Duveen, Hermon MacNeil and others.
REEL 1817 (fr. 279-282, 1097-1098) AND SCANNED: Three photographs of Indian painter Albert Martinez Castador (Albert Looking Elk), showing him painting, and on a horse; and one of Joseph Henry Sharp painting in his studio, ca. 1912. Photographers unknown.
REEL 1817 One copy print of a photo of Edward Lansom Henry, previously microfilmed under Photos of Artists II, and since been scanned and returned to the Adams collections.
UNMICROFILMED: Publications relating to the WPA, including: Federal Art Centers of New York; Murals for the Community; Art as a Function of Government: A Survey; The WPA Federal Art Project: A Summary of Activities and Accomplishments; Index of American Design; Five-Boro Directory, Art Teaching Division; Art in Democracy; Index of Research Projects: Volume I; and Federal Sponsored Community Art Centers. Also included are a letter from Samuel H. Friedman to Adams regarding a request for some pamphlets; a press release, December 30, 1938 from the WPA Federal Art Project; and a clipping of an article by Emily Genauer regarding the WPA, August 6, 1938.
ADDITION: Original photographs of Adams, including two taken by Berenice Abbott, 1940s, and eight by Dorian (Dorothy) Keyha, 1949; and files, clippings and correspondence, some of it to Adams' daughter, Harriet, related to Abbott.
Biographical / Historical:
Museum director, scientist (ecology). Director of the New York State Museum from 1926-1943.
Provenance:
Donated by Charles Adams' daughter Harriet Dyer Adams, 1971 and 1998. The 3 photographs on reel 1817, formerly microfilmed with AAA's Photographs of Artists Collection II, were scanned in 2004 and returned to the papers.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
An interview of Mildred Constantine conducted 1965 October 15, by Harlan Phillips, for the Archives of American Art. Constantine speaks of the Federal Art Project in New York and its work; working for Audrey McMahon; the influx of foreign artists in the 1930s; the changes brought about in the art world because of the Federal Art Project. She recalls McMahon, Edward Alden Jewell, Holger Cahill and Jacob Baker.
Biographical / Historical:
Mildred Constantine (1914-2008) was an art historian from New York, New York.
General:
Originally recorded on 2 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hr., 16 min.
Provenance:
Conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts project, which includes over 400 interviews of artists, administrators, historians, and others involved with the federal government's art programs and the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930s and early 1940s.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
Occupation:
Curators -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Art consultants -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Authors -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Art historians -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Extent:
11 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1964 November 4
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Arnold Blanch conducted by Joseph Trovato on 1964 November 4 for the Archives of American Art.
Blanch speaks of his background and training at the Art Students League; his work on three post office murals for the Federal Art Project; the effect of the FAP on artists; the politics of the FAP; accusations of communism against Blanch and others; government support for the arts; and Blanch's personal art collection.
Biographical / Historical:
Arnold Blanch (1896-1968) was a mural painter in Woodstock, New York.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 1 digital wav file. Duration is 37 min.
Provenance:
This interview conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts project, which includes over 400 interviews of artists, administrators, historians, and others involved with the federal government's art programs and the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930s and early 1940s.
Restrictions:
This interview is open for research. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Topic:
Mural painting and decoration -- New York (State) Search this
0.4 Linear feet ((partially microfilmed on 1 reel))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1930-1984
Scope and Contents:
Correspondence; writings; sketches; photographs; and clippings.
REEL 141: Papers, ca. 1930-1971, relating to Mark's work with the WPA-FAP, New York, including correspondence with Francis V. O'Connor, National Collection of Fine Arts; essays and notes from the late 1930's, including a recollection of other project artists; sketches and photographs of paintings from that period; and a review of the Artists' Union exhibit, A.C.A. gallery, from ART FRONT, Feb. 1936.
UNMICROFILMED: Papers, ca. 1940-1981, including: writings by Mark about influences on his art work; two essays by Mark, "A masterwork and the creative process" and "'Guernica' and 'Death to the Invader' - a personal view"; photographs of works of art; and clippings.
Biographical / Historical:
Painter; New York, N.Y. and La Jolla, Calif. Also known as Bernard Marcus.
Provenance:
Donated 1973-1982 by Bendor Mark (Bernard Marcus).
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Occupation:
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
United States -- Economic conditions, 1918-1945 -- Washington (State)
Date:
circa 1840s-1997
Summary:
The papers of artist, photographer, museum director, anthropologist, and writer Robert Bruce Inverarity are dated circa 1840s-1997 and measure 12.7 linear feet. Biographical information, correspondence, writings and notes, subject files, art work, scrapbooks, sound recordings, printed material and photographs are found within the papers. They document Inverarity's work as Director of the Federal Art Project in Seattle and Director of the Art and Craft Project for the State of Washington, as well as his other professional work. Nineteenth century material consists of a Japanese print, printed material, and photographs.
Scope and Content Note:
The papers of artist, photographer, museum director, anthropologist, and writer Robert Bruce Inverarity are dated circa 1840s-1997 and measure 13.8 linear feet. Biographical information, correspondence, writings and notes, subject files, art work, scrapbooks, sound recordings, printed material and photographs are found within the papers. They document Inverarity's work as Director of the Federal Art Project in Seattle and Director of the Art and Craft Project for the State of Washington, as well as his other professional work. Nineteenth century material consists of a Japanese print, printed material, and photographs.
Among the biographical information are awards and certificates, biographical and genealogical notes, and educational records. Correspondence concerns Inverarity's activities as Director of the WPA Federal Arts Project in Washington State, 1936-1941. Additional personal and professional correspondence, 1929-1993, documents his activities as a museum director, consultant, collector, and writer. Among the friends and colleagues with whom he corresponded are: Max Ernst and Dorothea Tanning, Rockwell and Sally Kent, Stanton MacDonald-Wright, Wolfgang Palen, Juliet and Man Ray, Mark Tobey, Edward Weston, and various individuals associated with the WPA.
Manuscripts of a few of Inverarity's many articles on topics such as anthropology, museology, and information storage and retrieval are among his writings and notes. Also included are the manuscript of an unpublished book, Tobey Remembered, along with drafts, notes, correspondence, research materials, and photocopies of Tobey's letters to him and others. Other writings consist of book reviews, children's books, a catalog of the Inverarity Collection, and a copy of his 1946 master's thesis, "The Social-Economic Position of the American Artist." Several journals, 1928-1966, survive, including one that records his 1932 trip to study the Haida Indians of the Queen Charlotte Islands.
Subject files include general subjects such as "Folk Art" and "Preservation." Files on the museums where Inverarity was the director contain some official records as well as general information. Art work by Inverarity includes eight volumes of sketch books, 1928-1942, commercial work for Boeing, notes and drawings for book designs. Among the work by other artists are drawings, paintings and prints by friends. Of particular interest are display panels for a small exhibit on airbrush stencil prints produced by the Washington State WPA Federal Art Project. Other noteworthy items are pencil sketches and a watercolor by Mark Tobey, and prints by Hiroshige and Jan Matulka.
Five scrapbooks, 1928-1979, contain newspaper clippings, miscellaneous printed items, and a small number of photographs and letters. Three volumes document his career as an artist and museum director. One consists of biographical information and items designed by Inverarity, and another concerns publication and marketing of his monograph Art of the Northwest Coast Indians.
Sound recordings consist of interviews and conversations. An extensive interview with Inverarity about his life and career was conducted by Craig Gilborn in 1990. Bruce and Jane Inverarity in conversation with former colleague Ernie Johnson and his wife Helen about his departure from the Museum of International Folk Art were recorded in 1980. Also included is a 1981 conversation with Grace T. Stevenson containing references to Mark Tobey and Morris Graves.
Printed material includes many items about or produced by the WPA Federal Art Project. Among the items written by Inverarity are many articles on a wide variety of topics, his book Art of the Northwest Coast Indians, and two published portfolios. Printed material by other authors includes articles, books and reports about or mentioning Inverarity, and books designed or illustrated by him. Among the miscellaneous printed items are catalogs and brochures of the schools where Inverarity taught and studied, and a few ephemeral items designed by him.
Photographs are of art work, people, places, the Washington State WPA Federal Art Project, and miscellaneous subjects. All photographs known to be by Inverarity are clearly marked. Art work includes views of Inverarity's collection of his own work and that of other artists hanging in his home. Photographs of people include artists, friends, colleagues, and various groups. Of special interest are Inverarity's portraits of artists, among them Marcel Duchamp, Max Ernst, Morris Graves, Hilaire Hiler, Rico Le Brun, Stanton Macdonald-Wright, Man Ray, Dorothea Tanning, and Mark Tobey. Photographs of places include the museums where Inverarity was director, places in which he lived, and travel pictures. Of note are a large group of photographs (copy prints) taken in 1932 while studying the Haida Indians in British Columbia. Nineteenth century photographs of family homes, Europe, and South America may have been taken by his father. Photographs of the Washington State WPA Federal Arts Project are of individual works of art, exhibition installations, mosaic procedures and local art centers. Many, probably intended for display, are mounted in groups on large cardboard panels. Miscellaneous subjects include art photographs by Inverarity and the microreader he invented.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as nine series. Correspondence is in chronological order, Biographical Information and Subject Files are arranged alphabetically by folder title. Other series have been organized into subseries and arrangement is as described in the Series Descriptions/Container List below. Unless noted otherwise, material within folders is arranged chronologically.
Missing Title
Series 1: Biographical Information, 1934-1997, undated (Box 1, OV 18; 0.25 linear ft.)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1928-1993, undated (Box 1; 0.75 linear ft.)
Series 3: Writings and Notes, 1928-1993, undated, (Boxes 2-3; 1.5 linear ft.)
Series 4: Subject Files, 1938-1990, undated (Boxes 3-6, OV 19-20; 2.5 linear ft.)
Series 5: Art Work, circa 1840s-1969, undated (Boxes 6, 12, 16, OV 21; 1.3 linear ft.)
Series 6: Scrapbooks, 1928-1991, undated (Boxes 7-8; 1.1 linear ft.)
Series 7: Sound Recordings, 1980-1990 (Box 8; 3 folders)
Series 8: Printed Material, 1902-1995, undated (Boxes 8-13, OV 22; 3.4 linear ft.)
Series 9: Photographs, circa 1870s-1990, undated (Boxes 11, 14-17, OV 23; 3.0 linear ft.)
Biographical Note:
Robert Bruce Inverarity (1909-1999) showed artistic leanings as a boy, and from an early age was fascinated by puppetry and Northwest Coast native culture. During much of his youth, Inverarity's family lived in Canada, but returned to their native Seattle when he was a teenager. After graduating from high school, he made a 500 mile journey on foot along the coasts of the Vancouver Islands, collecting Indian artifacts and studying the area's tribal legends.
He studied briefly with Mark Tobey in Seattle, where the two shared a studio; when Tobey departed for Chicago, Inverarity succeeded him as an art teacher at the Cornish School. He spent the next few years in California working as an artist, exhibiting, and occasionally teaching. From there, he moved to Vancouver where he was Director of the School of Creative Art. In 1932, Inverarity made a three month trip to the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia, for the purpose of studying the Haida Indians.
Upon his return to the United States in 1933, Inverarity joined the University of Washington Drama School as a puppetry instructor; in 1938 he published a highly regarded Manual of Puppetry. During 1936-37, he took a leave of absence from the university to assume the position of State Director of the Federal Art Project, where he remained until 1939. He then became State Director of the Art and Crafts Project (1939-1941). The U.S. Navy appointed Inverarity Chief of Design for Camouflage (1941-1943) and he later served as an Official Navy War Artist (1943-1945).
During his early years as a teacher and administrator, Inverarity continued making art and participated in a wide variety of exhibitions. He published a portfolio, 12 Photographs by R. B. Inverarity (1940). In the following year, Movable Masks and Figures of the North Pacific Coast Indians, a portfolio of his watercolors reproduced as silkscreen prints, appeared. Although Inverarity stopped exhibiting in 1941, he continued to produce art; notable work of this period includes photographic portraits of a number of artist friends (Max Ernst, Dorothea Tanning, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray).
After World War II, Inverarity completed his formal education. He earned a Bachelor's degree in art and anthropology from the University of Washington (1946), and then studied with Hilaire Hiler at Freemont University in Los Angeles, where he was awarded a Master's degree in fine arts (1947) and a Ph.D. (1948).
Inverarity began his museum career in 1949 when he was appointed the first director of the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a position that combined his interest in, and knowledge of, anthropology and art. While in Santa Fe, he published Art of the North West Coast Indians (1950). During his five year tenure as director, the museum participated in a pilot study for coding visual files, a project of the anthropological group, Human Resources Area Files, Inc. When Inverarity was dismissed from the Museum of International Folk Art in 1954, most of the staff resigned in protest, and the American Association of Museums investigated the situation.
Inverarity then became the first director of the Adirondack Museum, Blue Mountain Lake, New York, where he remained for eleven years. In addition to planning the museum's building, and developing collections and programs, Inverarity continued his involvement with the visual files project of the Human Resources Area Files, Inc., studying information storage and retrieval, developing a "microreader," and publishing Visual Files Coding Index (1960). In addition, he published many articles on a variety of topics and was active in organizations for anthropologists and museum professionals.
After his 1965 departure from the Adirondack Museum, Inverarity went to California and worked as an illustrator and book designer at the University of California Press. He returned to the east coast in 1969 to assume the directorship of the Philadelphia Maritime Museum. During this period, he remained active in professional associations and traveled to study museums abroad. He retired in 1976 and moved to La Jolla, California.
Robert Bruce Inverarity died in 1999.
Separated Material:
Originals of most of the drawings and sketches loaned by Mr. Inverarity were returned to him after filming and were not subsequently donated. This material is available on 35 mm microfilm reel D/NDA/I, frames 392-409.
Provenance:
Robert Bruce Inverarity donated his papers to the Archives in several installments between 1965 and 1993. Additional papers were received from his estate in 1999. He also loaned a small number of additional drawings and sketches for microfilming which were returned to him. A few of these drawings were included with the papers he subsequently donated to the Archives of American Art.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research. Use requires an appointment.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Painter, sculptor; New York and California. Born 1909 in Jamestown, R.I.
Provenance:
Donated 1994 by Ramie Streng, Mary Stone's daughter.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Occupation:
Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Correspondence relating to the Federal Arts Bill, 1938, and the work of the Office of Civilian Defense. Correspondents include Olin Dows and Emma Roche. In addition there are reports of the WPA-FAP, Alabama; a list of project and wages for WPA-FAP, New York; instructions for silkscreening, finishing and other technical details; 5 photos of WPA artists at work; a cost list for an Alabama mural; clippings and miscellany.
Biographical / Historical:
Sculptor and painter; Alabama. Smith served as volunteer chairman for the Alabama bureau of the Office of Civilian Defense, 1942, and was also Supervisor of Federal Art and Museum Projects for the WPA-FAP, Alabama.
Provenance:
Lent for microfilming 1972 by E. Herndon Smith.
Restrictions:
The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.
Material primarily relating Rein's work as research associate on the NEA funded project "Federal Support for the Visual Arts: The New Deal and Now," directed by Francis V. O'Connor. Included are letters, 1967-1968, some concerning miscellaneous research projects, and the installation of art work on city property in New York state through various WPA programs including PWAP, TRAP, and WPA-FAP; photocopies of letters to Franklin Roosevelt; minutes of a meeting; a list of sponsors of the Washington area committee for the abolition of the House Un-American Activities Committee, 1968; questionnaire forms; letters, 1967, and forms for an independent survey of WPA-FAP works of art installed in schools and institutions in Washington, D.C.; clippings, 1961-1968; and printed material.
Biographical / Historical:
Art historian; Washington, D.C.
Provenance:
Donated by Richard Rein, the son of Selma Rein.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Extent:
12 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1964 Nov. 5
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Ethel Magafan conducted 1964 Nov. 5, by Joseph S. Trovato for the Archives of American Art.
Magafan speaks of her earliest associations with the WPA Federal Art Project; receiving commissions for murals in post offices and government buildings; subject matter of the murals she painted; her life in Woodstock, N.Y.; and her work methods.
Biographical / Historical:
Ethel Magafan (1915 or 6 -1993) was a mural painter in Woodstock, N.Y. Birthdate cited as both Oct. 10, 1916 and Aug. 10, 1915.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 1 digital wav files. Duration is 25 min.
Provenance:
Conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts project, which includes over 400 interviews of artists, administrators, historians, and others involved with the federal government's art programs and the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930s and early 1940s.
Restrictions:
This interview is open for research. Contact Reference Services for more information.
An interview of Sidney Laufman conducted 1965 Jan. 29, by Joseph Trovato, for the Archives of American Art.
Laufman speaks of his background and education; studying under Robert Henri at the Art Students League; the development of his interest in art; going to Europe in 1920; his first exhibition in Paris; his involvement with the Federal Art Project in Key West, Fla., and later in New York City; how the project functioned; and the effect of the project on him and on his career. He recalls Alfred Barr.
Biographical / Historical:
Sidney Laufman (1891-1985) was a painter in Sarasota, Fla.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 1 digital wav files. Duration is 37 min.
Provenance:
This interview conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts project, which includes over 400 interviews of artists, administrators, historians, and others involved with the federal government's art programs and the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930s and early 1940s.
Restrictions:
This interview is open for research. Contact Reference Services for more information.
United States. Work Projects Administration Search this
Extent:
0.4 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1925-1946
Scope and Contents:
A resume; published and unpublished manuscripts on New York Settlements and Federal Arts Projects; annual reports, exhibition catalogs, photos, clippings, correspondence, and notes concerning the Children's Art Center of the University Settlement; press releases and correspondence with Abbo Ostrowsky and Stuart Davis regarding the WPA/FAP in New York, 1937.
Biographical / Historical:
Officer, National Federation of Settlements; New York City.
Provenance:
Transferred from the National Collection of Fine Arts/National Portrait Gallery Library.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
